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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ants in My Pants

Ok, you guys. I just had to do it. My training had me running 24 miles last week, and with the Richmond Marathon still 5 (yes, FIVE) weeks away, I'm not ready to start my taper. I was planning on running 26 miles this weekend, so I figured I might as well...yup, you guessed it -

Admittedly, I've been thinking of running Freedom's Run for a while. I had it in my mind that if my training was going well, I would give it a go. And after my 24-miler this weekend, I'm feeling really good about my running. But as soon as I sign up, guess what? Yup, self-doubt starts to creep in.

Even though I have done 4 20+ mile runs over the past 6 weeks, I'm still feeling really, really nervous. Looking at the course map, I see the numbers 15, 20, 25 popping out at me like I've never seen them before; I'm starting to feel the anxiety that I felt when I was first tackling those distances. But I know I can run this. Pre-race jitters are normal right?

Do you get nervous before a big race? Do you have any pre-race rituals?

Freedom's Run will be a different beast than the Richmond Marathon. From what I understand, Richmond is mostly flat, while Freedom's Run boasts some really nice hills from miles 16-21 when we run through the Antietam Battlefield.

Running through the Antietam National Battlefield is one of the reasons I wanted to run this race, in part because I've never been there and also because this is the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. I'm excited to be there to honor those who fought and those who fell, and the significance of this event to our nation.

Have you ever raced through/near a place of historical significance?

Freedom's Run is sponsored by Two Rivers Treads in Shepherdstown, WV, which is the first exclusively minimalist running shoe store in the country. DJ Research ran the Harper's Ferry Half (also sponsored by TRT) earlier this year and we LOVED this race; its great for both runners and spectators. So, we're expecting more of the same: low-key race with beautiful scenery along a challenging course and enthusiastic runners who just love to run.

Ready for that 26.2!!

Gaaaaahhhh!! Suddenly my first marathon has gone from being 5 weeks away to less than 2 days away. What do I wear?!?